PARK CITY, Utah — The Canyons Resort is bidding farewell to winter and welcoming summer with its Spring Gruv celebration, which included the annual pond skimming contest on Saturday.
“It’s a great event,” said Dave March, events manager at the Canyons Resort. “It’s all about having a fun time here at the resort. Enjoying an experience here as part of both Canyons Resort and Vail resorts, and hopefully make it across the pond like some of these lucky folks right here.”
Contestants try their luck at crossing a 100-foot pond on their skis or snowboards, dressed in costumes and with props in hand.
With very few clouds in the sky, thousands of spectators gathered around the course and cheered on contestants as they skied down the hill and across a cold pond. Weather forecasters say the spring weather is similar to temperatures they would expect in May, and they anticipate the warm trend to continue.
“Right now, at least through the next three months, the climate prediction center is saying that we have a better than average chance of being continued above normal temperatures through the spring into the early summer,” said Randy Graham from the National Weather Service.
Paul Marshall with Ski Utah says the major ski resorts in Utah plan to stay open until their usual closing dates this year, despite the warm weather.
“I've talked to plenty of people who have come here on vacation and they're all pleasantly surprised with how great the skiing is,” Marshall said. “In terms of anticipated closing dates, only two of our mountains are anticipated to close early, Beaver and Eagle Point, but besides that, every mountain in Utah will be open until their anticipated closing date.”
